The field of the present disclosure relates generally to turbine engines, and more particularly to systems for cooling hot gas path components in turbine engines.
Gas turbine systems are widely utilized in fields such as power generation. A conventional gas turbine system includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. During operation of the gas turbine system, various components in the system are subjected to high temperature flows, which can cause the components to fail. Since higher temperature flows generally result in increased performance, efficiency, and power output of the gas turbine system and are thus desired in a gas turbine system, the components that are subjected to high temperature flows must be cooled to allow the gas turbine system to operate with flows at increased temperatures.
Various strategies are known in the art for cooling components that are subjected to high temperature flows. These components are typically known as hot gas path components. For example, a series of internal cooling passages may be formed in a hot gas path component. A cooling fluid may be provided to the passages from a plenum, and the cooling fluid may flow through the passages, cooling the hot gas path component substrate and coatings. However, the cooling fluid can be contaminated with various types of particles, which can cause blockage of the internal cooling passages, or serpentines formed in the hot gas path component that is cooled with the cooling fluid. Such blockage can shorten the life of these components.